Health service ‘heading for collapse’

The Irish Medical Organisation has warned that the health service will collapse “from the inside” and patients will suffer because of a shortage of consultants.

A statement issued by IMO committees representing consultants and non-consultant hospital doctors has blamed Government policy for driving consultants away from the health service.

“Consultants are being driven away by uncompetitive pay scales on the one hand, and by a hostile, chaotic, working environment on the other,” the two committees stated.